Good Wine
by Island Sweetheart
Summary: It was a random way to be brought together but that's what some good wine can do. Justin and Monique story.


An extremely long, _long_ one-shot. I wanted to show some love for Justin and Monique - sort of a flashback to flash-forward thing. It really jumps around but I wrote it that way. Why - I don't know - but I figured it flowed well enough for me to understand.

Good Wine

Monique had just finished having lunch with a couple of friends. However, she had just seen Viola Hastings and Duke Orsino walk in - killing her night. Monique uncrossed one leg to stand just as Justin Drayton walked in through the door.

Blonde, handsome, chiseled _dork_! The stupid idiot gave her a look from the door and blew her a mock kiss. No man had ever done su-such… such!

Damn it!

She had lost the word.

Justin walked towards the couple of the year, Viola and Duke. With a cold look, Justin narrowed his eyes at the "loving" pair.

What a joke.

Duke almost bolted out of his chair if Viola hadn't taken his face and started kissing him.

Justin was hurt; Monique could tell.

So as a man with such an ego, Justin gave a chuckle. "I just want you to know that she's thinking about _me_ when she's kissing _you_," he crowed to Duke.

Justin successfully started his fight.

Duke lurched out of his seat and right at Justin. The place exploded as people ran from the seats to watch the two apes have at each other. Justin hooked Duke right in the chin just before getting hit himself by Viola's own fist.

"Idiot…" Monique flipped her hair. She stood up, walked right by the fight and was out the door without one glance back.

Later that cold December night, Monique stepped out to the feel of an icy brisk against her cheeks. She had emerged from the last open shop on Clovers. She decided to skip the fight for something more her style in a red-colored, knee-length evening dress. Wrapping herself in the comfort of her jacket, Monique treads across the parking lot. Finding her red convertible, she grasped her keys from her purse.

"Don't you ever stop shopping?"

Monique jumped in fright while her eyes darted to the right.

A figure of a teen appeared from behind one of the cars-

Justin.

Monique snarled, "You are a bast-" She stopped when Justin pulled further into the light to reveal a battered face. Even bloodied, his handsome features still showed; His pearly white smug smile still stamped across his face.

Justin began to fall face forward. Monique found that she had leapt to Justin's aid, grasping his limp body with her own arms. "Justin? Justin?" Monique couldn't help but shout his name, "Are you okay?"

"It's funny that you say my name, like you care," Justin tiredly smiled, "It's not befitting of you, you know."

All Monique could do was to gently drag him to her car. As she placed Justin in the front, Monique heard him comment again. He had his eyes closed with a huge grin.

"But it's flattering…"

* * *

Just dreams. - A lot of them with a bunch of monkeys. There's one in a red dress named Viola. The hugest and ugliest ape named Duke. Yup. What a great dream. 

"Justin, honey… how are you feeling?"

"You told me yesterday that I was better than half your team!"

"Son? Do you know what your brother is doing?"

"What are you going to do? Drown me in your tears?"

"Justin! You are such-an-_ass_ for putting me through this!"

The last voice kept pulling him back to images through darkness. There were stoplights first, then sliding doors, florescent lights and…

Monique?

Monique sat in the waiting room, numb and puzzled.

Why was she here?

* * *

Three months before… 

When Monique Valentine stepped out of the ballroom, she was sure to give Sebastian Hastings and Olivia Lenox a disgusted look. Whisking her skirt all in one hand, the girl stomped her way from the party. She crossed the open patio to a gazebo lit in Christmas lights. She couldn't deal with the absurdity of it all.

Sebastian and his stupid sister... Viola… They were all out to get her!

The whole switching thing…

She should have known.

Oh… damn. Here come the tears.

Leaning over the railing, Monique grasped the edge of the gazebo with a bowed head.

How did everything just go wrong?

"Please don't tell me you're crying." An annoyed voice boomed.

Monique jumped, whirling her head towards the voice.

Justin stood behind her with a cocked brow, hands in his pocket and a bored look.

"What the- Aren't you supposed to be inside with the other losers?" Monique said harshly through her tears. She held her head away, making sure he couldn't see her eyes.

Justin didn't seem to be interested, seeing as he just stood next to her without saying a word. Taking a quick glance, Monique couldn't help but appreciate his striking profile. His refined features seemed to glow under the lights of the gazebo. She could see the make of his strong outline of his jaw holding a dazzling smirk. His blonde hair that was slicked earlier was now framed softly around his face…

He also wore a suit well.

Monique shook her head, turning her back to him; she tried to wipe her eyes without smudging her makeup.

"Just go. I don't need your dumb opinions."

"Hey, sweetheart." Justin shrugged, giving her his infamous grin. "You don't deserve my sympathy."

Monique spun around, "I didn't _ask_ for it!"

Just as she did face Justin, she found herself succumbed in his arms.

"Whoa!" Justin caught the falling girl in his arms. "Monique? Monique!"

* * *

... 

"Hello? Miss Valentine?"

Monique blinked up at some doctor and then realization dawned.

"Y-yes… That's me." She abruptly stood up, shaking the outstretched hand of the doctor's.

"Your-"

"He is _not_ my boyfriend!" Monique shouted.

Seeing the girl in slight disarray, the doctor calmed the blonde down. "I was going to say _friend_ so-"

Monique waved a hand, not even hearing him. "What was wrong with him? I've seen him fight millions of times before and he's always been okay after."

"Fever. A little over 108." The Doctor shook his head, "He must have been walking around with this cold for hours. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did."

Monique huffed to herself, "That's because he's as thick as a rock."

The doctor, overhearing her remark, gave her a huge grin. "It sort of runs in the Drayton family."

Monique blinked, "What?"

"I should have introduced myself first," The doctor pointed to himself. "Mark Drayton - big brother to the "rock" with the 108-degree fever."

Now the doctor was becoming more apparent to her. If she had taken the time to look at him earlier, she could see that he was very similar to Justin. He had the same facial features with a lot leaner. Mark was about the same height with lighter blonde hair. The same strong jaw, the same brown eyes but… He didn't have the same "supposedly charming" smirk that Justin had. Not that she cared, but Monique did remember that Justin once mentioned that he had an "ass-of-a-big-brother."

"Well," Monique said without apology. "He _is_."

Doctor Drayton blinked then burst out laughing. "You're a spitfire kind-of girl, huh?"

Monique just raised a brow as Doctor Drayton continued to laugh. "You must be the girl Justin keeps ravishing on about, am I right?"

"Ravishing? Justin's been _ravishing_ about _me_?"

"Well… more likely yelling about some girl who's been getting on his nerves. And for Justin to have _any_ girl on his mind longer than an hour without thinking about another…" Doctor Drayton laughed, "Must be something."

Monique didn't know what to say-she had nothing.

Doctor Drayton sighed, "You've done something to him, I'll say. He's grown more in these past four months than he's ever had in his last eighteen years of life."

Monique just crossed her arms and looked away.

Knowing he wasn't getting anything else from her, Doctor Drayton smiled. "Visitors are welcomed now."

Still hearing nothing, Doctor Drayton shrugged. "The room number is 306, down to your right."

Doctor Drayton then walked away, giving way to her memories.

* * *

The feel of cold water splashed across Monique's face. She shot up, gasping from the shock, and finding herself in Justin's lap. 

"W-what?"

"You must have been wearing your dress too tight," Justin said.

Monique wanted to shout and tear out of Justin's arms. Her body, however, felt too weary and too tired to do so.

"Aren't you going to get up?" Justin said, placing an empty cup to his side. That must have held the dreaded water that he attacked her with.

Monique gave him a cold look but there nothing she could do. Her body was just too exhausted.

Justin's face gave way to understanding causing him to roll his eyes. "Don't tell me I have to carry your fat butt back to the party!"

"I'm not fat!" Monique tried to lift her hand to slap Justin with no success. She lay across Justin's lap, cradled in one arm on the floor of the beautiful gazebo…

"Oh… why is everything in such a _mess_." She whispered out loud.

Justin looked down at the girl, raising a brow. "Maybe it is because everyone else is messes?"

Monique snorted, "Oh what do you know, you big crybaby."

"Someone kicked dirt in my eye!"

"You are such a liar."

"You are such a biotch."

"Funny… Viola told me that once."

That hit a nerve.

Justin growled, looking away in anger. "Don't say her name."

Monique smirked, "Because she screwed you over?"

Justin turned his face back, "How's it going with Sebastian?"

Monique opened her mouth to shout but nothing came out.

Now it was Justin's turn to smirk, "Yeah. So don't come at me knowing you're in the same damn rut."

Silence overtook them.

"We're in love with two Hastings and look at us now." Monique whispered, unnoticing that her head now rested at the crook of Justin's neck.

Justin didn't seem to mind as he looked out over the terrace. "I don't think we need them."

Monique didn't answer and Justin wasn't looking for one.

* * *

Now Monique stood at Justin's door, watching him sleep. She grasped her arms around herself, trying to wrap what warmth she could gather. 

"Doc said a good lay is my medicine," a warn voice muttered out. "And since you're here…"

"I thought your ugly ass was sleeping," Monique growled, looking away.

"Hey," Justin chuckled. "Then why did you even bother with _my ass_?"

Monique burst into tears, surprising Justin. "W-what-?" He began.

Monique threw herself into Justin's arms then slid into the covers with him. Justin didn't know how to react - Monique couldn't really be in his arms?

Must be the fever.

Justin's thought flew from his head when Monique wrapped her arms around his neck.

Okay - maybe not.

"I-" Monique didn't go on. She just closed her eyes and placed her head against the crook of his neck.

"I don't know about you…" Monique whispered against Justin's chest. "But I'm glad I got dumped with you."

Justin didn't dare say a word.

Monique buried her face into Justin's chest a little.

They laid in silence.

Something they seemed to do a lot.

Monique lifted her head to meet Justin's eyes, her eyes full of concern. "I…"

Justin raised a brow. "I? I - what?"

Monique cocked her head slightly. "I love you, Justin."

"Why do you think we are the way we are?"

* * *

Justin and Monique laid flat on their backs in the gazebo. Justin had found some wine, probably stashed by one of the kids in the party, in hold under on of the ice sculptures. Justin had found some divine power to coax Monique into drinking half the bottle with him.

Monique wasn't too drunk but that didn't mean she wasn't _drunk_ drunk.

She just wasn't _too_ drunk - meaning she was drunk not to have any control… well, not too drunk to do anything stupid.

Monique then slumped to the side.

Or maybe not.

Justin, himself, was feeling the buzz love… No doubt about it because he could have sworn that Monique was singing-

She _was_ singing!

"I'm all out of love! I'm nothing without you…" With swig of the purple wine, she then proceeded to spatter the next line.

"No!" Justin began to shush Monique, placing a finger on her lips. "No sad song stuff."

"W…Wh-hy?"

Justin began to laugh his ale laugh. "Because. Because. _Because_."

Monique laughed along with her partner, ruffling his hair a little. "Because? Not… nope, not good answer."

"Let me, hic! Finish! Hic!"

"Wait!" Monique couldn't stop laughing, "You make this too funny! I-I… HA! I can't - I can't breathe!"

Justin laughed harder when Monique sat up then fell to the side. She just howled away as she tried to reach behind her.

Come on, strings! Monique thought laughingly, I need to breathe to laugh some more!

"Whaddya, whaddya doing?" Justin poked Monique's shoulder.

Monique grinned, sitting up again. Her smile was lopsided and her eyes were droopy. With a swift turn and her hands finally on the strings of her dress, she spoke.

"Take this off."

"Huh?" Justin hiccupped but he did grab the laces.

"Off! Off! Off!" Monique threw her arms up into the air, "I can't breathe."

Justin laughed again, falling over onto his back. "I can't… _hic_! Do that!"

Monique turned towards him and promptly took a shoe off his foot.

"_Hic - hey!"_ Justin tried to grab the shoe but Monique slipped it under her skirt.

Justin gave her a look but couldn't wipe off the smile. "Shoe. Now." He held out a hand.

Flashed a pearly smile, turned, and Monique pointed to her back. "Un-do! Get-shoe!"

Justin shook his head, muttering "A rhyming (_hic_) drunk…"

He slid closer to her, straddling her from behind. He took hold of her waist for balance and tried to focus his eyes on her back.

There were white laces _everywhere_ and a small bow in the back. He reached for it thinking that the most intricate part of untying the laces was… _that bow_. Yup.

Justin shook his head then fingered the bow. He pulled the bow out and then shouted, "Good?"

"Ow! Can you be any louder?"

"Sorry," Justin then whispered, "Good?"

Monique giggled. "Untie _all_ of it!"

"Okay like Monday!"

Justin laughed at his joke while he carefully unlaced Monique…

Then the laces got lower and his fingers worked slower. Justin heard a slight sigh from his companion and he could feel himself getting hotter.

Something wasn't right. His fingers still held the last few strands of laces; His eyes came to rest on her bare back.

"Hmm…" Monique sighed contently, "I feel so much better."

Justin blinked when he felt his hand start to move. He could tell his hand wanted to know whether her back was as soft as it looked.

Justin snapped his hand back.

Wrong! No, hand, no!

Not more then seconds after, Monique turned back around. Half of her dress fell off of one shoulder, a hand to her chest and the other rested firmly on Justin's thigh. Her eyes were so blue with her blonde tresses falling over them like soft rain. Her skin was so fair that Justin had to bite his tongue to not touch it. Her beautiful, full lips were glossed, pouted and parted slightly…

Bad Monique! Bad, bad, bad!

"Hmm…" She whispered her sigh. Monique leaned into him, causing Justin to sweat a little.

There would have been a time when Justin would have taken full advantage of this situation… But this didn't feel right. Don't get him wrong! He was _definitely_ feeling more than heat and an aching sensation to sweat in a certain positions - but it seemed like something else was bugging him.

Conscience?

Justin blinked then shook his head. Nah! Couldn't be.

But it just might be so…

For some strange reason unbeknownst to him, Justin kept sliding back.

Monique was smoking hot, reading to jump his bones and he was _sliding_ _back_?

Monique had him up against the gazebo rail; her loose dress began to fall, with her face so close to Justin that he could see the flecks of gold in her eyes. She gave him a sultry smile, "You're one to watch out for, Drayton. I might just fall in love with you if you don't watch it."

Taken back, Justin was not prepared for what happened next.

She fell asleep.

She had fallen asleep right on his shoulder with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Justin just grinned and sighed about the mourning. There was no way he was going to get out of this one… Monique was going to have a fit.

"Night, Justin Drayton."

Under the dimmingelectric lights and the pouring moon rays, Monique was framed with a heavenly glow. The blue highlighted her fair skin, cheekbones, hair…

He couldn't help it.

"Night, Monique." Justin then placed a light kiss on her forehead.

* * *

Justin and Monique stared at each other. Monique could feel her heart racing and the color in her cheeks heating. She couldn't believe she had just said it out loud… 

"Oh…" Monique winced, jumping from Justin's bed.

"I didn't mean… I did but," Monique stopped when Justin grabbed her arm.

"I never believed you'd actually care for me…" Justin said softly. "I always knew I loved you… from the moment we got drunk that night on the gazebo. I was so _wasted_!"

Monique turned to show her tears, wiping them with a hand. "Nice one, Justin. Good way to show your appreciation. Yup - I was drunk!"

Justin laughed, "Woman! You are so aggravating!" He shook his head, "Can I say that I was so drunk that the only think I remember was kissing you on the head and thinking…" Justin gazed at Monique as he pulled her to him. He reached for face and Monique burst into tears. "I was thinking... I would love this girl. And that wasn't wine talking… I knew it then and I know it now."

"But what about that fight earlier…"

"I was just blowing off some steam."

"Over Viola-"

"No." Justin laughed, "Over the game. I still really hate Orsino-"

Monique sniffed, "He _did_ make you cry."

Justin smiled, "I've told you time and time again - it was dirt." Justin pulled Monique down next to him and laughed. "And to think this started off with some wine."

"It was good wine." Monique smiled, pulling Justin close to her.

"I love you, Justin." She whispered before kissing him softly.

"I love you, too…" Justin smiled back.

Thanks for reading and please review!

Island Sweetheart


End file.
